Life After a Balla (16 page)

Dre grabbed the four hundred dollar bills and looked at her long and hard, before throwing the money back across the table.

“That’s the problem. It doesn’t seem like you’re gettin’ any information. It seems like you’re actually enjoyin’ him bein’ around. I hope you didn’t forget that you got a fuckin’ job to do. You better not be fallin’ for that nigga. I went through too much trouble trackin’ him down to have you fuck things up.”

“Dre, please. I only love one man and it damn sure ain’t Kareem. Don’t try to play me. You did your part, now let me do mine,” Felicia demanded.

“When I found his name on those papers Justice had at the shelter from the day he bailed him out of jail, I had to go to his court date, hide in the back of the court room and follow his ass to work. That’s when I sent you after him. So, you better not fuck up this plan. My brother has been missin’ for eight fuckin’ months. I know he’s dead and the police ain’t doin’ shit to help solve his case, so we have to find out if they had something to do wit’ his disappearance,” Dre protested.

“Don’t you think I know all that? Do you know how hard it is to know that my husband is more than likely dead? I refuse to even have a memorial service until his body is found. Justice and I had plans on getting back together, and now that’s never going to happen.” Felicia could feel herself about to tear up. “Justice told me that he’d found a way to pay me back for all my money that he’d gambled away. He told me he’d changed, and I believed him.”

Dre couldn’t help but wonder if the money Justice was referring to had anything to do with Sandino.

“Do you know how hard it was for me to see that bitch Skye for the first time? I wanted to kill her with my bare hands, especially when I found that journal with her talking about how much she loved Justice. Since I’m convinced that she’s responsible for Justice’s disappearance seeing her makes my blood boil. I know what I’m doing, Dre. It’s been a struggle, but Kareem is starting to open up. He even got so angry after an argument with his mother one day that he started mumbling something about a murder. I kept asking him what he was talking about, but he caught himself and tried to play it off. He’s definitely hiding something, so it’s only a matter of time before he tells me what happened,” she informed.

“Alright, but just remember you’re supposed to be gettin’ information from him not fuckin’ him,” Dre responded.

Felicia caught a serious attitude. She didn’t appreciate him trying to tell her how to handle her business. “I know what I’m supposed to be doing, and even if I am fucking him, it’s none of your business.”

“I’m just sayin’, why you got the young nigga up in your crib now when you could be fuckin’ me, a real man?”

Felicia sighed. “Listen Dre, what happened with us that one night was a mistake. I was just vulnerable. Shit, we were both vulnerable. Let’s just forget it ever happened. I’ll always love Justice and you’re his brother, so it’s wrong. Also, I gave you permission to drive his car, but I didn’t give you permission to wear his clothes. That’s very disrespectful by the way.”

Felicia’s mind suddenly drifted back to when the police found Justice’s car outside of an abandoned warehouse in Alpharetta one month after they reported him missing. As hard as it was to come to terms with it, finding his car was confirmation that her husband was more than likely dead. He loved his BMW more than life itself and never liked anyone to drive it. Felicia also remembered when she went to Justice’s apartment to gather all his belongings. She was devastated when she found a picture of Skye next to his computer, and fought back tears while packing up all of his clothes. Felicia took a deep breath before getting up to use the bathroom. As she walked away, Dre couldn’t help but look at her plump ass when she stood up in her body hugging Miss Me jeans and embellished tunic. Felicia was a bad bitch and he never understood why his brother cheated on her.

Dre remembered the night Felicia came to bail him out of jail after he tried to reach Justice for over a week. She was upset about not being able to find Justice and he was upset that Mercedes had gotten him locked up for raping Skye. The two of them rode around for hours trying to find Justice. After coming up empty handed, they ended up comforting one another followed by some drinks and eventually one thing lead to another. At first Dre felt bad about sleeping with his brother’s wife, but he felt a sense of revenge at the same time for Justice sleeping with Mercedes.

I was so pissed with Mercedes for what she did to me. Shortly after my brother went missing, her body was found down in that embankment. I felt bad that she’d been murdered and left by the side of the road like that. I know she snuck and contacted Sandino behind my back to try and get money for telling him where Skye was, but I just hope that wasn’t what cost Mercedes her life
, he thought.

When Felicia walked back to the table a few minutes later and sat down, Dre started asking her questions about Skye.

“So, any up to date information about Skye?”

“No. All I know is that she moved from Lawrenceville back to their house in Miami. Kareem hasn’t talked to her much since she moved, but I’m sure that’ll change. I think he misses his family.”

“So, where does he think you’re going when you leave for work, Dr. Mitchell? I know you took a vacation when he first moved in, but what about now?” Dre questioned.

“Well, I told him I was a real estate agent, and luckily he hasn’t asked me too many questions about it.”

“Questions or not, you need to hurry up and rap this shit up before I have to get involved. This shit it takin’ way too long.”

“I told you don’t rush me,” Felicia countered.

Dre shook his head. “Don’t forget I gotta go back to court in the mornin’ for that bogus ass rape charge. My lawyer said it looks good for me and that the case will probably be thrown out for lack of evidence.”

“Yeah, you have one of the best lawyers in Georgia,” Felicia reminded him.

“By the way, I never thanked you for hookin’ me up with this lawyer.”

“You’re welcome. But once this is all over I think we need to go our separate ways,” Felicia said, getting up. She grabbed her Chanel messenger bag and placed it over her body. “Since we already crossed the line once it’s only right. I’ll let you keep your key until then.”

“If that’s what you want. In the meantime, just get movin’ wit’ Kareem’s ass!”

When Felicia got outside, she headed towards the parking lot but stopped to glance at her husband’s car. Happy memories of the day she purchased the BMW 760 LI for his birthday years ago instantly floated through her mind. Felicia began to tear up as she stood in a daze picturing them riding in his car while listening to his favorite Jay-Z CD. Justice was more than likely gone and she needed to try and move on with her life, but it was gonna be hard. The tears started flowing as she headed to her truck. Once inside Felicia completely lost it. She missed Justice so much. She layed her head on the steering wheel and wailed like a baby.

“That bitch Skye, took my husband away from me and she’s gonna pay. My plan to use Kareem to get him to talk is working and I’m even enjoying my young boy toy while plotting my revenge,” she said, pulling herself together.

CHAPTER 16

Skye headed upstairs to put all the bags of clothes she’d just purchased in her room with a huge smile on her face. Being back in the Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus stores in Bal Harbour gave her a feeling she couldn’t explain. The fact that she didn’t have to look at prices or worry about getting beat up by Sandino because she’d spend too much made the experience even more enjoyable. She even made a special trip to Dulce, a shoe boutique owned by
Basketball Wives
star, Evelyn Lozada and purchased five pairs of top designer shoes.

Once inside her room, Skye glanced at all the different shoe boxes and displayed a huge grin. She’d always been a shoe hoe, and the sight of each designer’s name only reconfirmed her obsession. She immediately sat down on her bed and pulled a pair out of the box and tried them on. After buckling the tiny strap on the Francesco Sacco sandals, she stood in the mirror admiring how good they looked on her freshly pedicured feet.

“Now these are hot,” she said to herself.

When Skye looked over at the two pairs of Alexander McQueen shoes she’d also purchased, her smile became even larger. She held the black leather, six inch pump in the air, realizing it was love at first sight.

“I can’t wait to wear these, too.”

After spending several minutes in shoe heaven, she reached in her purse and pulled out the stack of bills she’d withdrawn from one of Sandino’s accounts and stashed them in her new safe that was hidden in the closet. Even though she really enjoyed all the splurging on herself, Skye’s main goal was to stash away as much money as she could for the next rainy day. She refused to be broke again and was preparing for the future which didn’t include living in that house under those circumstances forever.

“Tomorrow, I will hit the stores again bright and early. Shit…I have to do something to take my mind off being back in the house with that devil,” Skye said as she closed her safe and covered it up with some clothes.

Skye had basically avoided Sandino for the past few days and got pissed off every time Quinn would come and ask her to assist him. She also noticed that Jordan had been avoiding his father as well.

She had a flash back remembering when Jordan busted in the door from school on Sandino’s first day home from the rehab center. He was so excited about his first day of football practice but his mood quickly changed once he saw his father. Sandino however, was glad to see Jordan and glad to hear that he was following in his footsteps playing football. When he saw Jordan’s reaction to seeing him and the way he ran out of the room, Sandino lowered his head with a sad look on his face.

Skye knew his appearance was overwhelming for him, not to mention she knew both her sons had a lot of mixed emotions still bottled up inside when it came to their father. The only thing Skye regretted the most about leaving Sandino was the impact it had on them. She headed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She stood poking around inside and pulled out a turkey and cheese sandwich she’d made earlier and a Pepsi. She popped the top instantly turning it up.

“Aahhhhh, now that’s what I needed,” Skye said, plopping down at the huge maple leaf granite bar in the kitchen.

While sitting there, it reminded her of Ms. Petra and how she would come in the kitchen and sit at that very bar and talk with her almost every day while she cooked delicious Jamaican meals. Skye took a deep breath thinking about how much she missed Ms. Petra, and wondered how she was doing since Skye hadn’t been able to locate her. She’d called the number Ms. Petra had given her only to find out the number had been disconnected.

“Ms. Petra, I really wish you were here to help me deal with this bullshit right now,” Skye said, as a tear rolled down her left cheek. She quickly grabbed a napkin off the counter and wiped her face.

Weakness is no longer tolerated. I need to pull myself together. I’m the one in charge here
, she thought.

Suddenly her thoughts were broken when Quinn walked into the kitchen. Her eyebrows lifted when she noticed he wasn’t wearing his normal uniform. Instead he had on just a wife beater that exposed his ripped muscles and a pair of basketball shorts. Skye almost lost it when she saw the print in front of the shorts.

What the fuck? This dude is hung like a damn horse
, she thought to herself.

“Thank you so much for watching Payton while I was gone. Since Jordan is out and I haven’t had time to interview for a nanny, I really appreciate that. I do realize that’s not a part of your job description.”

“No problem. She actually went to sleep once I fed her, and has been asleep ever since, so I didn’t mind,” Quinn responded. “She’s a good baby.”

“Yeah, I lucked up with her.”

“I know you’re not drinking that garbage, Skye,” Quinn said, frowning up his face up at the Pepsi sitting on the counter.

“Yes, I am drinking it. You so called healthy people kill me, always talking about this isn’t good for you, that isn’t good for you. Shit, we’re all gonna die anyway so why not go out enjoying something you like,” Skye joked.

Quinn shook his head at Skye’s comment. “I see right now I’m gonna have to get some healthy food up in here and get you on a good diet. Plus, how are you gonna keep that body tight if you keep putting junk in it?”

Skye blushed. “I guess you’re right. I do need to start eating healthy, but at least I’ve started working out again. Shoot, you should’ve seen me a few months ago. I gained so much weight. But in all the right places though.”

Quinn looked her up and down with a devilish grin. “I’m sure you did.”

The two were quiet for a minute.

“Skye, I have to run out for a little while and I need you to go and sit with Sandino. He’s already dressed and in his wheelchair. You can push him around outside for awhile if you want.”

“Oh nooooo, I got something to do,” Skye lied.

Quinn wondered why she was always purposely avoiding her husband. In fact he noticed that her son was doing the same thing

“Look Skye, technically it’s my day off. I haven’t been out of this house since I got here. I have to run and get a few personal things, but it will not take long.”

Quinn hoped she didn’t get upset for him speaking his mind or even worse fire him because he really needed the job. But he felt the need to challenge her because the more she avoided Sandino the harder it was going to be for her to deal with his condition. He turned to walk away then suddenly remembered he forgot to tell her she had a visitor while she was out.

“Oh yeah, a man stopped by while you were out earlier. His name was Bruze…Cruze or something like that. He said he would come back a little later.”